Pallet and method for making same



June 28, 1960 c. w. LYMAN PALLET AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 3, 1954 :I-E: I l3 l INVENTOR. C/aude M Lyman June 28, 1960 c. w. LYMAN 2,942,824

PALLET AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME- Filad June 3, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CBC? 58 I INVENTOR.

Made M Lyman United States Patent PALLET AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME Claude W. Lyman, 288 Sunny Slope Road, Petaluma, Calif.

Filed June '3, 1954, Ser. No. 434,137

3 Claims. (Cl. 248-420) The invention relates to wooden pallets, such as used in warehouses and various industrial plants and the like, and to the method and apparatus for fastening together the various frame and cross members which make up the pallet. This application is a continuation-in-part of my earlier application Serial No. 298,059, filed on or about July 10, 1952, for'Apparatus and Method for Structural Fasteners, now abandoned.

Conventional pallets are usually made up of a frame work of boards, which may be nailed or bolted together to provide a rigid platform upon which various articles,

such as boxes, sacks, bales or the like, may be stacked for convenient storage or transportation, as by means of a forked lift truck. As will be understood, the requisite characteristics of pallets are strength, ruggedness and ability to withstand repeated use, overloading and reasonable abuse without breaking, splitting, coming apartj'or other premature failures. An object of the present invention is to provides pallet of the character described, which will be much stronger and considerably more rugged, and far more resistant to splitting or pulling apart of the wooden members, than either'nailed or bolted pallets previousl available.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pallet of the character above, having a countersunk arrangement of the fastening elements, whereby the entire platform surface of the pallet will be smooth and uninterrupted, and free of upstanding obstructions of any kind, and wherein the fastening elements themselves are more securely anchored in place with less likelihood of projecting up from the platform after severe or prolonged use, to cause injury to the goods stacked or carried'thereon. A further object of the present invention is to provide a pallet of the character described in which the several joints thereof are compressibly secured under greater forces than obtainable with other types of fasteners to provide'lasting tightness of the joints and to counteract for shrinkage of the wood.

Still another object of the present invention is to provid a pallet of the character described, which is adaptable to, and to provide a method and apparatus which will enable, low cost mass production of the pallets, witha of manual labor and without the requirement of difiicult orspecial skills. V

The invention has other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompany-' Figure'Z'is anend elevation of thepallet with a porconstructed in Patented June 28, 1960 tion thereof, including one of the fastener elements, shown in cross section.

* Figure '3 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale of the pallet, and showing one of the fastener elements in cross section.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention for applying the fastener elements to the pallet.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing one of the die members in side elevation and one end of the fastener element in cross sectionat one stage of the method of the present invention.

- Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but taken at a second stage of the method.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figures 5 and 6, but is taken at a third stage of the method. I

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figures 5, 6 and 7, but

' is taken at a fourth stage of the method.-

The pallet of the present invention is generally illustrated in Figures. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, and consists of a plurality of wooden boards 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 516, which are positioned upon cross or frame members 21; 22 and 23 in confronting relation to boards 26, 27,- 28, 29, 30 and 31, positioned on the opposite sides of frame members 21, 22 and 23, the boards thus being arranged in intersecting and overlapping relation to provide a rectangular platform. In accordance with the present invention and as a principal feature thereof, these several boards are secured by a plurality of tubular metal fasteners 36, whichare positioned through adjacent overlapping boards at their intersections and'a're eachformed with outwardly flared opposite ends 37 and 38,

platform boards, so as to provide substantially' flush or below flush outside surfaces thereat. Cold drawn welded steel tubing may be used, although aluminum or other malleable metal may likewise be employed; *Most practical tube sizes for pallets have'been found-to be'9 inch, inch and inch O.D., with wall thicknesses from 20 to 18 gauge. For most applications tubes of /s' inch-0D. and 20 gauge are suggested. In the pallet illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, such fasteners 36 may be used through the platform boards 1110 16 and 26 to 31 assembled on opposite sides of outside frame boards 21 and 23' and an intermediate frame board 22. These fasteners are preferably secured under compression loads of approximately 4000 lb. per sq. inch, and thus provide firm and lasting tightness and ability to counteract sub sequent wood shrinkage as may develop. v

A common fault of both nailed and bolted pallets has been the splitting of the boards. In accordance'with the present invention and as a principal feature thereoffthe opposite end flared portions 37 and 38 are curledback t the tubes 36 is just slightly less than the internal diameter of the openings 46 to 48, so that the tube will have a fairly snug sliding fit in the openings. While the structural fastener, as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, has a particularly valuable application to the construction of f wooden pallets, it will be understood that the fastener may be otherwise used to provide structural connections between abutting overlapping wooden members and such use will, as more fully developed in my copending application above, provide greater shear strength, larger sur-.

face contact with lessanetal improvedeconomy. of fas-z tening, and other advantages.

as, the beveled "surfaces" ss erfna'n "es es enga e'tnea p- The applicationof the fastening member 36 in place in the pallet members is accomplished by, the apparatus and in accordance with the method of the present invention and as more specifically claimed in my divisional applicatiomSerial-ihlm51535531 11 1 1 11 0, 5.5 1 51 apparatus includes a pair of dies 51 and,5 2;which may-I belsupportcd-in'o'pposedaxially.v aligned position by.- a cclamrr Y w pports the 'diememhe .7

for axial reciprocation to and from the fixedv die S i As; here; shown; the. actuated, die 51-; is; mounted; at the end; r ram; 54st; a; ydraulic; y ind 56 ar ed, y

one arm 57 of the yoke. Itwill; however, heunderstood h t th irrpmr lg tr-ma u l y actuat d m ans, su h-a a screw or mania or. ev may e,- e pl ye un d s.- placelnentofgthe di ;5 Each Qfih d e stmhd w th a an end portion 58 of relatively reduced-1 diameter adapted for insertion; iuto'itheep'cn ndr ott e. u efi d-t two end portions of the two dihS; asshQW n E b; 4,

'weqden m m eh S rmu ina h hu Pe he y 3v oitthe arcuately curyedpertionoz-is;anannular shoulder s the cadet he uhs s fla dfih abut a a h lj 7 1 der 64, the outer surface of" the tube forms a gently curved surface (facing downward in the figurelthat is continuous with the outward; peripheral surface of the base of shoulder 64. Consequently when thetube end and shoulder 64 are together countersunk into the surface 41, cutting of thewood fibers is. avoided. The wood fibers are merely' compressed within a bearing zone that .4 .whic epmieq s r m t a u ce apo hh 2 d.

which p rf m i o er mp ant u c s: ne. s. en age and. teal h;fsla i e v m h f e mhhl wa m il; 9 k fli h ht n o the j e t hsshh l st mmune emb din whe f h shoulder into. the wood As here shown, the flange is,

qf h enm ress e y he h s W s ee the cti n m n ned cordancewith the method. andapparatus; of the I e into the opposite tube ends 43 and 44 to h a, m t hehhs ar na d th sp aatihhi made possible, at least in part, by. the die;

vent-ion, the two dies 51: and 52 aresirnultanc;

a ce when with hhi hp l e it evd dyi h w s ly and. w h h e;

ih j is ifll i i di uh hh Pro id s} ies-ht cessive self-equalizingaactions, These 'are illustrated in V the series 10f w The tube; 36 preferablyis; cutsoas: to project approxi many, 43 f inch tram the opposite wood surfaces 41 and. Theviir's't step is to advance the. die51ftoward areszse and efiecta simultaneouscntry of the end 7 portions 58 of'ea'ch 'o fthe'dies into the oppositeftube ends, as illustrated in Figure 5; An autom atic equalizing actiontakes place asthc die part 59jreaches the end ofs'the tube; On further "approach of the dies, the tube e'nd's will'bel simultaneously flared outwardly upon the frustpi-conical ponionstio, and a second equalizing action takes; place at 'theends 61 of such portions the tube ends reach the areuateiy curved portions 62. This position is illustrated in Figure 6 ofthe drawings. On further approach ofth'ejdies, 'a simultaneousreverse curlingjof the tube ends is effected upon the arcuat ely'curved por tions' 62, and 'a thirdi' equalizing action takesiplace as;

J tube euds reachhnd engage the shoulders 64. This 7 a positioneof thelparts isfillustratediin Figure 7; Upon approach of the; dies; the shoulders -64a-re em-V V bedded into the adjacent -surfaces. 41 and 42 of: the.

K WQQEI} mSFmhELS:S.Q --as to countersinhtheflared tube lli 3 1 0. insert the-tube ends backs-into the. wood surfaces; as illustrated, to .provide the reinforcement-here inabove described. A final equalizing action-takes p ce es 5. through '8- of the drawings. 7

is located beneath the tube end at the surface 41 and surrounding the bore 46, and the flared tube end bears against these compressedfibers of the bearing; zone. Theagranigementf of. the tube end. shown in "Eigpre '3. 1 Naturally, since the wood. fibersar'e not seyeredg they egctend integrally. and continuously from withinfthe b ar-, ing zonejand peripherally outward therefronito with' the other, "uncompressed fibersj or the member] '11," and, arrangement enormously. strengthens the pallet against splitting of the members atQthe'Vpointswhere the fasteners, are applied.

If, desired, a plurality of opposed sets of dies may be. mounted in apress'of suitable designfforfsimultaneousi ly. effecting} the flaring; and countersinking' of the opposite I circle of. a multiplicity offa'stenen elements; 'Withfsuch an} arrangeme t, a pl t P et H5831? he hhfifcated. it n r ss i r ss 1 re ime...

V .1. The method of fasteningoverlappingiwooden mem: bers of'a wooden pallet consistingiin; drilling aligned cylindricalholes intsaid members .tol'pro'vide a continuous bore.therethroughlopening to, the working; platform surfaces, of the: pallet; inserting asection oflrnctal tubing. substantially filling said bare; with; the'opposite ends of said tubing LPi ieeting through said; openings at: said; working platform surfaces; and simultaneously compress: t ing;said wood and. flaring saidtube-ends, the woo'dbeing'. compressed in a zoue 'surroufidiugfeach of said opena ing s' to form a ring. of .de nsified' wood fibersfdisplacedt substantiallyvif below, said woikinglplatformf stance; with said; fibers extending integrally, conti uou'sly from W thin sai en in r ph f rlyc w i y hhre hm and the, tube endsbieing dared to. curl angw ya b nd, said, rings f below said, wflfliing platform seam -"1" 2 A" pallet, comprising a,"pluralityv of overlapping fibrouslwooden, members includingiouter members 'defining 'a of. v opposite-lqut'sidei Working surfacesfon said. pallet, the' overlappingiportions 'oflvs'aidl members having axially. aligned; bores'jforrned. therethroug'ht and opening. to' said working Isur facestland' a"'plurality of nie'tal tubes disposed in said bores,, the,fends of .saidtube'sfi beingfiaredoutwardly. and.v curled back. engaging said outerjlmenihersr substantially belowsaid workin g" surfaces. thereof; the wood; fibers at said. outer niembersf'being compressed beneath the'flarediportionslof 'saidjubes fandj ht hd 'gjfint rh l and dhti nouli ifilh dhe js d;

fibers 'e'iten'ding integrallyfand continuously tre t-withi a d h h s ZQP?S,FQH.1LPI IPPI?UYV m nate" from; and a plurality of metal tubes disposed in said bores, the ends of said tubes being flared outwardly and curled back engaging the bearing zone portions of said outer members below said working surfaces thereof for holding said members in assembled relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 204,476 Bourne June 4, 1878 277,076 Stuart May 8, 1883 429,578 Niedringhaus June 3, 1890 713,679 Pfeil et a1. Nov. 18, 1902 778,924 Umsted Jan. 3, 1905 1,122,280 Kempshall Dec. 29, 1914 6 Gookin Jan. 6, 1920 Gookin Oct. 16, 1934 Robinson Jan. 14, 1941 Cruickshank Mar. 20, 1945 Gookin Feb. 5, 1946 Horwitz Oct. 25, 1949 Barrett Dec. 13, 1949 Cooke et a1. Oct. 2, 1951 Kump May 19, 1953 Herz et a1. Mar. 5, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Netherlands Apr. 16, 1923 Austria July 26, 1926 

